Efficiently Manage FMLA Leave with Time and Attendance Software
Time and attendance software provides significant benefits to busy HR teams managing workforces. It decreases complexity, automates tasks, reduces errors, and saves time and headaches associated with payroll deadlines. However, HR teams may find that a time and attendance solution with FMLA tracking capabilities delivers even more value.
The goal of the Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is to allow employees to take job-protected leave with continued health coverage after the birth or adoption of a child or to care for a close family member with a serious health condition. However, employee eligibility for this benefit—and the tax credit for employers—involves precisely meeting each requirement established by the federal government and the state where the business operates.
Manually managing FMLA leave is labor intensive and can lead to errors or missed deadlines that impact your status. Fortunately, time and attendance software solutions with features specifically designed for managing FMLA compliance can help you avoid those issues.
Explore how the right software can help HR departments overcome common FMLA management challenges.
Calculating Leave Entitlements
The FMLA states that eligible employees are entitled to 12 weeks of family medical leave per year. Eligibility depends on whether the employee has worked for the business for at least 12 months and how many hours the employee worked in the 12 months prior to the date when the leave is scheduled to begin. Additionally, state laws and company policy will dictate whether the leave is paid, partially paid, or unpaid.
When an employee gives notice to request a leave, the clock starts ticking for HR. The employer has five business days to determine and provide notification of eligibility.
Time and attendance software with FMLA management features can automate eligibility determination. HR can run a report with minimal effort and immediately see how long the employee has been with the company, how many hours they’ve worked in the previous 12 months, and whether they’ve used any of their leave during the period in question.
Tracking Intermittent FMLA Leave
By law, employees eligible for FMLA leave are not required to take it all at once, creating additional tracking complexity. To track intermittent leave accurately—and without taking extra time away from other job responsibilities—you need FMLA-specific time and attendance software that automates reporting and provides information on demand.
The right software will allow you to automate the entire process, from employee requests and eligibility verification to routing requests to FMLA administrators and keeping approvals and notifications on track.
Ensuring Compliance
It takes time and experience for HR employees to learn the details in the 76-page Employer’s Guide to The Family and Medical Leave Act from the U.S. Department of Labor. The guide outlines the steps for compliance, including employee requirements for requesting and providing medical certification and all the notifications employers must make in response.
It addresses leaves that are foreseeable, such as maternity leave. Along with the unforeseeable—for instance, an employee that requests leave to care for a family member injured in an accident or suddenly stricken with an illness. Compliance also requires using the appropriate forms, submitting notifications by set deadlines, and maintaining documentation.
The FMLA management features offered by leading time and attendance software solutions are designed to help HR teams manage each facet of compliance, serving as a centralized system for requests, notification forms, certifications, and documentation. It also provides a platform for checks and balances necessary for smooth communication between employer and employee.
If your software has employee self-service capabilities, HR teams can also allow employees to use the system. Employees can make requests, track time remaining on their leave, and see reminders of when documentation and certification are due.
Empower Your Company with Streamlined FMLA Management Software
Depending on the size of your organization, manually managing FMLA can be a full-time job. Automating reporting, notifications, and documentation with full-featured time and attendance software can significantly decrease the time necessary to address FMLA requirements. By reducing unnecessary tasks, HR can focus on other essential responsibilities.
Additionally, using one system to centralize management, employer-employee communications, documentation, and leave tracking increases transparency and decreases errors and misunderstandings.
The right time and attendance software with FMLA management capabilities is key to efficient operations and compliance. Request a demo for Ecotime today and start improving your FMLA management processes.
